The Social Structure Theory

The Social Structure Theory this is broken down into three sub-theories, social disorganization theory, strain, theory, and cultural deviance theory. The Social Structure theory is based that crime is committed by people who live in lower income areas. This theory says that people who live in lower income areas commit crimes for various reasons such as gaining success and cultural normality. The Social Conflict Theory views crime based on the works of Karl Marx. The Social Conflict Theory is based that crime is caused the difference in social classes. This theory explains why those in the lower class commit crimes and also why those in the upper class commit crimes. The Social Structure Theory has three components, the social disorganization

Karl Marx said that crime is the product of unjust and alienating social conditions. According to the Social Conflict theory crime is the result of class conflict. All of the criminal activities have political meanings behind them. The Social Conflict theory is more interested in groups rather than individuals. It is usually the power groups that tend to win the conflicts. This theory states that people who live in lower income areas commit crime to get ahead in society and people who live in higher income areas commit crime to stay ahead in society. The Social Conflict theory also states that the criminal justice system is designed to help the wealthy, which explains why people of the upper class tend to get more lenient punishments and those living in poverty. The conflict also comes from changes in society which are inevitable. Marxist criminologist Willem Binger believes that crime results from capitalism. Competition for wealth, profit, and jobs are the reason people commit crime. Capitalism creates egoism and eliminates altruism. Egoism is a concern for themselves and only themselves, but altruism is a concern for another person’s wellbeing. Capitalism only makes people think of themselves and getting themselves ahead of the next person. Crime comes from poverty and poor parental supervision of children. The Social Conflict theory involves feminist criminology, peacemaking criminology, and left realism. Feminist criminology main concern is if male-centered crime theories should be applied to females also and to explain the fact that females are less likely than males to commit crime. Peacemaking criminology believes in restorative justice and that an over emphasis on punishing an offender will increase the chance of